Christmas at Downton
by marthewshipper
Summary: Mary Crawley escapes London to stay with her parents at Downton for Christmas. What happens when a figure from her past comes back into her life? Modern AU. Completely spoiler free.


**Hey reader,**

**Yes you guessed it another modern AU with Matthew and Mary. I still adore these two characters and enjoy playing around with them. And if you follow my other stories then they should be getting updated soon. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"That's it Richard. I'm sick of this, of everything. I can't stand to be around you anymore." Mary slammed her magazine down on the coffee table and stood up off the couch. "I'm sick of you thinking these pathetic things. I did not cheat on you with Evelyn at the gallery opening. Your "source" is lying."

"My source is extremely reliable." Richard smirked. He drunk the rest of his whiskey and put the glass down on the table.

The two were in Richard's living room, arguing as usual. Over the past month it was all they had seem to have done. A month ago Mary's close friend Evelyn opened an art gallery in South London and Mary was invited. Richard had an important issue of his magazine that needed to be checked and sent for publishing so he had turned down the chance to accompany Mary. The next day at work he'd received an email claiming Mary had gone into a room alone with Evelyn and was seen making out with him.

"We are just friends. Nothing more. Evelyn's engaged for goodness sake." Mary walked to the front door and grabbed her coat. "I'm seriously over these lies Richard. It's the icing on the cake. Please don't call me in the morning when that alcohol wears off. " and with that she walked out, slamming the door.

Mary caught the tube back to the flat that she was currently sharing with her younger sister Sybil who was studying to be a nurse at the near by university. At 19, Mary had attempted university but dropped out after securing a job at a fashion magazine, much to her Father Roberts annoyance. Four years later she was the Style Editor and enjoying the demanding but enjoyable work life.

Mary had met Richard at an event with the magazines sister company, which Richard was head of. The two had hit it off well, Mary enjoying the attention from an older man. The two started dating shortly after and were getting pretty serious until the exhibition opening those months ago.

Mary unlocked the front door to their flat and took off her coat. "Sybil, I'm home. "

"In here Mary." A voice yelled back from the living room and she found her younger sister lying on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching something on the Discovery Channel.

"I thought you were going out with your friends tonight. Isn't it Friday?"

Sybil adjusted her position on the couch so she could see her sister as Mary placed her handbag on her dinning table and headed into her kitchen to put the kettle on. "We were meant to but Gwen broke her ankle at hockey after class today so Daisy thought we should rain check it for a while."

"Poor Gwen."

"I feel bad, it's the start of the hockey season and she's out. I'm so glad I don't play sport." Sybil turned the television of and walked into the kitchen.

"I still think you should be coming to my Yoga classes on Friday mornings." Mary grabbed to cups out of the cupboard above the sink and placed them on the bench.

"There's no way in hell I'm waking up at 5am on a Friday. Anyway why are you home so early? I thought you were planning to stay the night at Richard's."

"I broke up with him."

"Over the Evelyn thing?"

"He honestly didn't understand that it wasn't me kissing him. I would never do that. I'm not a cheat. "

"I know you aren't. You know my feelings on Richard. Papa will be pleased. " Sybil laughed and grabbed the milk out of the fridge for the two drinks. "Wait does that mean you are coming to Downton for Christmas? Now that you don't have to go to Scotland to meet his family?"

"I guess so. Ill call mama in the morning to make the arrangements." Mary poured the hot water into their mugs and added the tea bags. ''I might even come tomorrow afternoon with you.''

"Oh Mary I'm so excited. The three Crawley sisters back on their home turf." Sybil couldn't stop grinning.

* * *

It was Friday night and Matthew Crawley was sitting on the tube reading the world news section of a paper he had picked up at the previous station. He had just finished his last week of work before taking three weeks off over Christmas to visit his mother at Downton in Yorkshire. Matthew was pleased to go and spend time with her and was glad to get out of the big city as he called it. Growing up in Downton allowed Matthew to experience the feel of a small village as well as the opportunity to attend a highly ranked school 45 minutes away. He graduated top of his form and was accepted into Cambridge where he studied Law.

Matthew folded his paper up as his stop was announced over the speaker and shuffled through all the passengers to get out. It was a cold and wet December evening and Matthew was glad his flat was only a short walk away. He buttoned his coat up, placed the newspaper over his head and quickly hurried down the main street.

* * *

After calling her mother and sorting the trip details, Mary was set to leave London. She was really excited to get away from it all and spend some time with her family. Her mother was delighted at the news that Mary had ended things with Richard, claiming he wasn't a nice man and Mary could do better. She assured her mother that she was over it and that she wouldn't put a downer on the festive season.

Sybil had packed all her gear and was beginning to dispose of the contents in the fridge that wouldn't last until the girls arrived back afterwards.

''Mary, will the jam last?'' Sybil yelled down the hall.

''Yes hun, just make sure the lid is on tight.'' Mary was trying to zip her suitcase. She had rescheduled her work to allow her to email her items from Downton and her boss was more than accommodating. Her sister walked into her bedroom carrying a box of crackers in her hands.

''Can you put these in your suitcase? Mines full.''

''Can't we just buy more at the store?''

''You can't buy these there, they are organic.''

''Ok give them here.'' Mary packed them away, zipped it up again and took it to the front door. ''Everything sorted?''

''I think so. I'll just check the back door lock and we should be good to go.'' Sybil headed down their hallway and checked the door.

''Right it's 1pm so we should arrive at 3. Let's do this.'' Mary opened the front door and picked up her bags heading to her Land Rover parked on the road in front of their flat.

* * *

Matthew was standing in his small one bedroom flat pacing in front of his breakfast bar. He had missed three calls from the girl he had recently been on a date with and he was clearly trying to ignore her. It wasn't that she wasn't a nice girl but Matthew wasn't looking for a girlfriend. His friend Tom had set the two up on a blind date last week and with Matthew going home for a few weeks it was the perfect time to explain that he couldn't make a second date, however Matthew was too scared to reject the poor girl.

_Just call her and be honest Crawley._

But he couldn't do it. He decided to put it off for later, grab his bag and head to the tube station to catch a train to Downton.

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**Thanks for reading and don't forget to let me know if I should continue.**

**-Marthewshipper x**


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